San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-05-10
CHAPTER III.
''That way madness les"

ludi way utS.
It was not yet sunrise. The noun
tains stood out of the pale fog like
shapes of iron. A cold silence reigned
over the scene.
At the base of one lofty ridge and at
tile summit of another stood a cabin
steep-rOOfed, ruinOuS, dirty, comfort
less-such as only the half-civilized re-
gion of North Carolina affords the like.
Into the cold gray dawn the smoke was
issuing sullenly from the wide Chin
ney, and without the door man and a
girl were cleaning their rifles.
The man had dark, forbidding face.
The girl was dark like him, but ablaze
with beauty. She was well grown. Her
scant skirts and loose cotton blouse
showed her voluptuous shape. She had
the stately shoulders and throat of a
Semiramis. Her bold, passionate eyes
were Of adark grayish green with black,
fringy lashes. Her black hair was
twisted under a f0x-skin cap, and her
lips, which had a strange ferocious
sweetness about them, were full and
red.
For some time the father and daugh-
ter worked in silence, only interrupted
by the occasional click of trigger or
slide of ramrod. Finally the man
spoke, clearing his throat first, as if
what he had to say was not easy.
"Yer mas poorly, Carroll. Yer
mought stay and help her once in a
while, think. 'Taint woman's work,
any how" he added, growing holder as
he proceeded, "climbin' the mounting
and shootin' the dumb things day after
day as you do"
at ain't?n she repeated, scornfuhy.
"You oughter found it out sooHerl"
II say, you'd better stay home to-day.
Yer mas poorly" he continued, sullen-
ly.
II sha'n't stay home," she said, be-
tween her teeth.
You seem to forget that 1 mought
make you stay" he said.
Carroll Dyce rested the butt of the
rifle on the ground, and leaned lightly
upon it. Her green eyes sparkled IN
der her black brows.
Yer talking to me?" she asked, con-
temptuously. "Do you think l care for
what you sayP should think you'd
done enough to me by bringing me into
the world in SUCH a den as this-you
and she. Do you think you can make
me mind-either Of your"
The man was cOwed.
"Hushl" he said; shell hear you. 1t
makes her feel bad to hear you go on"
''Badl How dye s'pose Ifeelp Well,
I'll tell you'll feel like chained devil"
You act like one" he said, moodily.
A CLEAN of ScOrn fitted across her
red lips: She lifted her gun and handled
it fondly.
Sometimes think I'll shoot myself"
she said. But then I dunno as it's
worth while. Something might turn
up
YOU'RE handsome gal" said Dyce,
soothingly. "YOu could take your pick
among the fellows, if you would. l wish
yer warn't so Wild
Among hemi Dye think I'll pick
among hemY II l don't shoot myself,
I'm going to see the world some day.
Pm going to dress up like the woman
on the box-cover found. Pm goin' to
know what life MEANS"
u dunno what's got into you to-day"
said the man. There's your me- calm
on us to breakfast"
A tall, emaciated woman with a sick
ly, deathstricken face, stood in the
door.
"When she's gone," Kissed Carroll,
"therell be nobody to,cOOk the food.
Then s'pose you and iii eat it raw"
INSIDE Jlle cdDln tue Idlully Rdtntreu
about the table and helped themselves
uncouthly to the food.
In the midst of the meal the loose
hung door burst suddenly open, and in
to the middle of the room leapt mag
nifcent dog-a setter with silky brown
ears and human eyes.
Pausing an instant to gaze about the
ropm, the dog, with his piteous eyes and
n6DDinp tOnQun 6UranO forward and
lay down at Carroll's feet.
She poured some water in dish, and
set 1t before him. He Tapped greedily
without rising. Then getting on his
feet again, he gently took the girls
dress between his teeth. She was used
to dumb things. She seemed to under
stand his gesture. She rose. The dog
barked, leaped, and again took hold Of
her skirts, and with his eyes nher face
went bounding backward toward the
door.
Carroll followed.
The man and woman EXCHANGED looks.